Sampling device



H. E. McCOY AND F. J. TARR.

SAMPLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1918.

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HENRY E. MCCOY AND FRANK J. TARR, OF SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA.

SAMPLING- DEVICE.

Application filed July 22, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY E. MCCOY and FRANK J. TARR, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Sapulpa, in the county of Greek and State ofOklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sampling Devices,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sampling devices and is in the nature of whatis known in oil refining plants as an oil thief. The object of theinvention is to provide a portable gage adapted to be lowered into atank or reservoir of any kind containing oil, for the purpose ofremoving a sample of such oil from the bottom of the tank in order todetermine whether there is water in the bot tom of the tank and thequantity of water contained therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with sucha device means for trapping a sample of the contents in the bottomportion of such tank, so that such sample may be withdrawnand inspected.i

A further object in view is to provide means for automatically trippinga movable sample container and sealing the entrance to said container bypermitting the lower end of the device to come in contact with thebottom of the oil reservoir or tank. The device also comprises meanswhereby said container may be tripped and sealed at any elevation abovethe bottom of the tank.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described,illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of'the device.

Fig. 2 is an elevation taken at a right angle to Fig. 1, with parts insection.

Fig. 3 is a section onthe line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section through the bottom of the device.

The sampling device, contemplated in this invention, comprises in thepreferred embodiment thereof, a tubular body 1, extending downwardlyfrom which is a tubular barrel 2 having vertical elongated entranceopenings or slots 3 in the opposite sides thereof. The bottom of thebarrel 2 is closed by means of a base cap 4: removably thread- 4 is asection onthe line 4-4 of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 246,071.

ed thereon and containing a packing disk or gasket 5 which serves as aseal for the bottom end of the container hereinafter described, whensaid container is moved down wardly.

Mounted for limited vertical movement within the barrel 2 is a tubularcontainer 6 preferably of glass, such as a sight glass tube. Before thedevice is lowered into an oil tank or reservoir, the bottom edge 7 ofthe container 6 is elevated sufliciently above the packing disk 5 andthe lower ends of the openings 3 to allow liquid to enter said container6 at the bottom thereof. The upper end of the container 6 is heldbetween a plurality of spring clips or fingers S on a plunger head 9 ofskeleton construction to enable liquid to pass therethrough. Extendingupwardly from the head 9 is a plunger rod 10 which projects above thetop of the body 1, the plunger 10 being surrounded by a spring 11, theenergy of which is used to press the container 6 downwardly against thesealing disk 5 to prevent escape of the liquid trapped in saidcontainer.

Extending upwardly from the tubular body 1 is an arm 12 having an eye 13at the upper end thereof to enable a cord or rope to be attached theretofor raising and lowering purposes. The arm 12 is provided with alaterally extending pole receiving socket 14 provided with a bindingscrew 15 to enable a raising and lowering pole to be attached to thedevice.

16 designates a bell crank shaped trigger which is connected to the arm12 by means of a pivot 17. To the upstanding arm of the trigger 16 thereis attached a connecting rod 18, the latter being attached at its lowerend to the plunger 10. Attached to the other arm of the trigger 16 is atrip rod 19, working through guides 19 the latter extending downwardlyto a point slightly below the bottom of the base cap a, so that when thelower extremity of said trip rod comes in contact with said tank orreservoir, the trigger 16 is swung on its pivotal connection with thearm 12, carrying the connecting rod 18 off to one side of the pivot 17and thereby allowing the spring 11 to depress the plunger head 9 and thecontainer 6 for sealing the bottom end of the latter. The horizontal armof the trigger 16 is provided with an eye 20 to which a trip cord may beattached to enable the device to be tripped at any desired elevationabove the bottom of the tank. The arm 12 having the pole receivingsocket 141 may be made separately from the tubular body 1 and fastenedthereto by screws 21 or the equivalent thereof.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will now be understood that in order to obtaina sample of liquid from the bottom of the tank or reservoir, thecontainer is first raised so that liquid :may. enter the lower endthereof. Said container is held in such raised position by properlyadjusting the trigger 16 as shown in Fig. 1. The device is then loweredtoward the bottom of the tank, and during the lowering operation, thecontainer 6 is filled with the liquid in the tank. As soon as thecontainer is filled, the operator allows the whole device to descendalittle farther until the lower extremity of the trip rod 19 strikesagainst the bottom of the tank. Thereupon, the trip rod 19 is movedupwardly, turning the trigger l6 and tripping the plunger head 9 whichmoves downwardly, carrying with it the container 6 until the bottomedgeof the latter rests on the sealing disk 5 and closes the same againstthe escapeof the trapped .liquid, the device is then raised to thesurface and the contents of the container examined. The device isparticularly used for ascertaining the presence of water in the bottomof an oil tank and determining the quantity of water therein.

lVe claim 1. In a sampling device of the class described, a tubularbody, a barrel extending downwardly therefrom and having a side openingthereim'a base cap closing the lower end of said barrel, atubularcontainer movable longitudinally within said barrel and open at bothends, a stationary seal in said cap for the lower end of said container,

I means'for raising said container within said able-longitudinallywithin said barrel and open at both ends, a stationary seal in said capfor the lower end ofsaid container, means forraising said containerwithin said barrel, and means for automatically actuating said raisingmeans to permit said container to move downwardly against said sealingmeans. 7

In asampling device of the class described, a tubular body, a barrelextending downwardly therefrom and having in said cap a-side openingtherein,--a base cap closing the lower end of'said barrel, a tubularcontainer movable longitudinally within said barrel and open at bothends, 'a stationary seal in said cap for the lower end of saidcontainer, means for raising said container within said barrel, meansfor automatically actuating said raising means to permit saidcontainerto move downwardly against said sealing means, said automatictripping means comprising'a trip rod extending below the bottom of thedevice, a trigger operated by said rod, and-a spring thrust connectionbetween-said barrel head and container."

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures.

HENRY E. 'MoCOY. FRANK J. TARR.

